Marking gauge for use in pinchpleating draperies



March 22, 1960 K B. McNElL MARKING GAUGE FOR USE IN PINCH-PLEATING DRAPERIES Filed July 6, 1956 INVENTOR.

KAY a. MCNEIL,

ATTORNEY$ United ates Patent lo MG GAUGE FOR USE IN PINCH- PLEATING DRAPERIES Kay B McNeil, Miami, Fla., assignor to Time Saver gf urgment, Inc., Miami, Fla.. a corporation of or: a

Application July 6, 1956, Serial No. 596,250 7 Claims. (Cl. 33-137) This invention relates to a device to facilitate the marking of a drapery material to show the location and number of spaces and pinch pleats, and the material required to form each pleat, at the top of the drapery.

Heretofore, when a drapery is to be pinch-pleated, considerable difiiculty has been encountered by the seamstress in making the necessary calculation, and in every instance, although considerable time is involved in making said calculations, estimates and approximations are necessarily involved therein. As a result, when the pleats are pinned, measurements must be taken to determine whether the pinned drapery is of the desired width that it is to have in its finished form. If the drapery, when pinned, is not of the correct width, readjustment and repinning are necessary until the error has been corrected.

The problem is particularly serious in commercial establishments making custom draperies, since considerable time, with resultant expense, is involved in the practices heretofore followed. The difficulties have been added to by reason of the fact that the commercial seamstress is handling the drapery at the machine in bulk, which is awkward, and not infrequently, one injures herself with the pins, due to extension of the pins through the pleated or folded portions of the material.

In view of the above, the main object of the present invention is to provide a marking gauge, to be used with a chart, so designed that the seamstress may work with fiat folded drapery, thus avoiding the danger of pin jabs; will be able to eliminate all measuring and calculating, thus to discharge the necessary task of preparing the drapery for sewing of the pinch pleats with greater facility than has heretofore been true; and will (as distinguished from the conventional practices) mark the drapery material with complete accuracy in every instance.

Among more specific objects of the invention are the following:

To provide a simple, durable, accurate, and economical marking gauge readily applicable to the top of any' single or multiple width drapery while the drapery is in work upon the work table, or while the drapery has been assembled in pairs or multiples of pairs after the necessary preparation work has been completed;

' To provide, in conjunction with the gauge, an accurate mathematical chart to avoid error by the seamstress in calculating the number of spaces and pinch pleats to be used in arriving at the finished width desired at the top of the drapery;

To facilitate the handling of the drapery for sewing of the pinch pleats after the fabric ismarked by means of the gauge; and I To provide a gauge whichwill in every instance, if properly used, produce, when'the drapery is sewed, a properly spaced series of pinch pleats therein.

Other objects will appear from the following description, the claims appended thereto, and from the annexed drawing, in,which like reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

Figure l is a front elevational view of a marking gauge formed in accordance with the present invention, in its contracted condition;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 in which the gauge has been extended, a portion of the gauge being broken away;

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view on line 3-3 of Figure 2, the dotted lines showing a marking crayon;

' Figure 4 is a fragmentary, exploded perspective view showing a substitute piece usable in the marking gauge;

Figure 5 is a somewhat diagrammatic perspective view of drapery material in its fiat condition, marked for formation of pinch pleats therein; and

Figure 6 is a somewhat diagrammatic perspective view of the finished drapery.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the device constituting the present invention includes as its components the following: a front return marking plate 10, a plurality of springs 12, at least one space marking plate 14, and a back return marking plate 18.

a The words front return constitute a phrase in common use in the art of curtain and drapery making, designating the distance from the left hem 19 of a drapery or curtain (Figures 5 and 6) to the first pinch pleat, that is, the pinch pleat nearest said left hand or front side' hem 19. The words back return, correspondingly, are applied to the distance between that pinch pleat furthest to the right in Figure 6 and the right hand or back side hem.

The springs 12 are used to show the width of the material required for each pinch pleat, with the material being so marked when in flat condition. The space, thereafter, provides a guide whereby one pleats the material within the space to the desired finished form of the pinch pleat.

The space markers 14 indicate the amount of material that is to be left between adjacent pinch pleats. There will always be one more pinch pleat than there are spaces between pinch pleats in the finished drapery, so that the device will always include one more spring 12 than it does space marking plates 14.

As mentioned, the amount of material showing beneath each spring 12 when the spring is extended is the quantity of material to be used in each pinch pleat. Inasmuch as curtain and drapery fabrics vary in width, from 27 to 60 inches, and again vary in each width after being seamed, it is not possible and would in fact be useless, to use any set length of gauge for measuring the width of the material required for each pinch pleat. The amount of material to be used in each pinch pleat, is always an unknown quantity unless a lengthy mathematical problem is worked out and then tested by pinning up and'measuring. Use of the spring eliminates this unnecessary work and takes care of the unknown quantity factor.

Considering the particular formation of each of the above described components of the complete device, the front return marking plate 10 comprises an elongated, rectangular, flat plate member, of thin metal, plastic, or any other suitable material, having adjacent one lo'ngitudinal edge a row of uniformlyspaced, small apertures 20. Said row extends in a straight path, parallel to the adjacent longitudinal edge of the plate 16, and

adapted to provide a visible mark upon the curtain or drapery material.

As noted from Figures 1 and 2, also formed in the. front return marking plate 19, in closely spaced relation 1 to the outer or free extremity of said plate, is an opening 24 which is slightly larger than the apertures 22. This opening is disposed upon the longitudinal median of the plate 10, and is for the purpose of permitting extension of a pin, tack, or the like therethrough, whereby to anchor the plate 10 at one end to the work table.

Adjacent the other end of the plate 10, there is formed therein a transverse slot 26.

Each spring 12 is of a type such that the spring will be of flat formation, with its opposite sides in alignment with the opposite longitudinal edges of the plates 10, 14 and 18.

Each spring is of the contractile type, and contracts in a direction longitudinally of the several plates 10, 14,

18. The spring in its normally contracted position ap pears as shown in Figure l (the left hand spring).

To the opposite ends of each spring 12 are secured folded cross pieces 28 formed with wide hooks 39 which, as shown in Figure 3, loosely, removably engage in the transverse slots of the several plates. Thus, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the left hand hook of the spring appearing at the left in these figures is engaged in the slot 26 of the front return marking plate 19.

Adjacent the several apertures 20 of the plate 16 numerical indicia 36 are marked upon the plate. These ascend in value from the inner to the outer end of the row of apertures 20, with the indicium at the inner end being designated as l z," the next being 1, the next being /2. (designating l /z), the next being 2, etc. In a commercial embodiment, the apertures will most likely be /4" apart rather than /2, thus making it possible to use the return as a space marker, if necessary;

Adjacent the-other longitudinal edge of plate 10 (which edge may appropriately be termed the top) there is a second row of small apertures 38, and these are aligned transversely of plate 10 with the several apertures 20. The purpose, of a double row of apertures is to permit a pair of draperies to be marked at the same time. The top of the left panel is placed on the top of the right panel, a half inch below. The gauge is placed on the top as described herein and in this way both panels are marked at the same time.

Considering now the formation of the space marker 14, this includes, at each end, rows of closely spaced apertures 40 also adapted to receive the marking crayon 22. As will be noted from Figure 1, said rows do not extend the full length of the plate 14 as they do in the marking plate 10. Instead, each row of apertures 40 extends from the adjacent end of plate 14 to a location spaced closely from said end. The apertures of each row. are spaced an eighth of an inch apart, and

the rows are provided adjacent both longitudinal edges of the plate 14, with the apertures of'each row being aligned transversely of plate 14 with the apertures of the other row, provided in the sameend of said plate. Agam, th1s is for the; purpose of permitting marking of a pair of, draperies. in the. manner previously described herein.

Lines 41' are marked upon plate 14,. and on each line- 41 there'is provided an indicium 43. Each line extends between corresponding openings of the rows at'opposite ends of plate 14, and. the indicium associated with the l ne provides. information as tothe distance between the apertures or openings at the opposite ends of the line. Thus, the innermost apertures of the rows. at the ends oftheplate have a line 41 extending therebetween, on which line is the indicinm 2%. space between said; innermost apertures measures 2 7 The apertures next to the;v innermost; apertures have a. line extending therebetween, the indiciurn of which signifies that thedistance betweensaid next apertures measures 2%.

indicated. Decalcornanias may be used instead of etching'the numerals on the metal.

This indicates that the.

In a commercial embodiment, the linesmigllt. be omitted and instead there might be used indications such as are used on a tape measure, but with, numerals The purpose of the space marker is to mark the opposite ends of each space between adjacent pinch pleats. If said space is to be, for example, 3", one will extend the marking crayon through those apertures disposed at the end of the line on which the indicium 3 is shown.

For the purpose of anchoring the space marker 14 to the work table, openings 45 are formed in the end portions thereof, on the longitudinal median of the space marker. Adjacent said openings, the space marker is formed with transverse slots corresponding to slot 26, to receive the hooks of springs 12 disposed at opposite sides of the space marker.

In assembling the device, the front and back return marking plates 10, 18 would be assembled with a number of springs 12, the number of the springs 12 corresponding to the number of pinch pleats to be formed in the finished drapery or curtain. Alternating with the springs will be a plurality of space markers 14, these corresponding in total number to the total number of spaces between pinch pleats. As previously noted, there is always one more pinch pleat than there are spaces between pinch pleats. Therefore, if for example the drapery is to be formed with eight pinch pleats, the device would be assembled with eight springs 12, and with seven space markers 14. The gauge ordinarily would be assembled for each job, but would be assembled in sets, as follows:

2- /4 to 3 /42 marker-Both returns7 springs-6' The back return marking plate 18 is formed identically but oppositely to the front return marking plate 10. Therefore, it will have rows of apertures 44 extending from: end to end of the marking plate, adjacent the top and bottom. longitudinal edges thereof. Associated with the several. apertures are numerical indicia 46 ascending in value similarly to the indicia 36 from the inner to the outer end of plate 18.

Thefront and-back return marking plates are used in themarking of all sizes of draperies and curtains and the same plates 10, .18 are always assembled with springs 12, and space markers 14 when a drapery is being made. This is truebecause the distancebetween a side hem and the nearest pinch pleat, while varying according to the particular measurements specified for the particular drapery,--will always fall in the range of the numericalindicia36 or. 46.

Further, the same springs 12 are always used, since the: amount. of material used in forming a pinch pleat will always fall somewhere within the range defined between; the fully contractedspring and. the spring at its-rnaxirnutrrv expansion.

However,, the space markers 14 are of dilferent sizes, and thesizes, shown in, Figures 1 and 2 would ordinarily beusedtforqpinchpleating curtains and sheer draperies. When draperies; other than sheer draperies are being made,,largerspace; markers are used, instead of the markers 14..

The larger space markers 14a.are.basically similar tothe markers 1,4, so far-as, the number: andlocationofi ings of the rows is increased. Thus, the distance between theinnermostt openings of the rows of apertures 4lla.is,,3%",. thesame asthe distance between the outer-.

most apertures; 40; of" marker 14. Then, progressively. greater; distances arev markedv upon pleat 14a up to a m si um .v eo /1"- A. drapery being; made has been generally designated at 48. in making the drapery, a mathematical chart is used in association with the marking device, which chart gives accurate number of length of spaces between pinch pleats and the number of pinch pleats, to be used in achieving a given finished width.

The chart is compiled from a series of multiplication tables using spaces, starting with the smallest space used,

2%", and graduating every /8 to the largest space used, and starting with one space to the amount of spaces needed to bring each table up to 20 feet or a fraction over. If 30 should be needed then 20 plus in the space length would be added together. For instance 5 'spacesx2 "=1' 0%" etc. 10 spaces 2 ,g"=2' 1 etc. spaces X2%;"=3 1% etc. spaces 2%"=4' 2" etc. 24 spaces 2%"=5' 0" etc 2' 1", 10 spaces 2%"-ll pinch pleats 2' l", 8 spaces 3'/s"9 pinch pleats 2 1" 5 spaces 5"-6 pinch pleats The seamstress can determine which combination would be best for the number of widths in the panel. However, some numbers only show up once or twice inthe complete tables. For this reason the finished width measurements vary in fractions. For instance:

2' 1%", 7 spaces 3%"8 pinch pleats 2' 1%", 6 spaces 4%"7 pinch pleats 2. 1 /8", 9 spaces 2% l0 pinch pleats 2' 2", 8 spaces 3%"9 pinch pleats 2' 2", 6 spaces 4%"7 pinch pleats 2' 2%, 7 spaces 3%"8 pinch pleats 2' 2 10 spaces 2%"-1l pinch pleats If the finished width is 2' 2" and the seamstress does not think 8 spaces are correct for the width of the panel, she has a choice of 2' 1% spacing and lets out one space M5" or any of the 2' 2%" spacing and shortens 2 spaces /s" each. These are easily made adjustments.

The finished width on the chart means the finished width designated on the work sheet less the amount of both returns, also designated on the work sheet. For instance: Finished width 2' 9", front return 3 /2, back return 3 /2". The figure to be worked with on the chart would'be 2 2". Returns vary with each work sheet. The length of returns to be used depends upon the type of rod that will be usedto hold the drapery. The only mathematics the seamstress uses is to subtract the two returns and to divide the number of widths in a panel into the number of spaces to be used so as to apportion the fullness.

Heretofore, the conventional practices followed have involved considerable mathematical calculations. Calculations are made in connection with determining the amount of material to be pinch pleated, the amount to be used for spaces between pinch pleats, and the amount required for front and back returns. Despite the many calculations required the final figure, designed to produce the amount of material required for each space between pleats, and the particular divisions of the material to be pleated relative to the full width of the panel, produces only an approximate figure. Having made the calculations, the seamstress pins all pleats and then again measures the pinned drapery to determine how close it is to the desired width. If it is found that the pinned drapery is not of the desired width, it is necessary to readjust and re-pin the drapery until the correct width is formed. Then, the pinned pleats and .the pinches of the pleats are sewed. In this connection, the seamstress is handling the drapery in bulk, which is awkward, and not infrequently the pins, extending through superposed folds of the material, produce injuries. I

By reason of the invention, the seamstress is permitted to work with fiat, folded drapery, and avoids completely the danger of pin jabs, while at the same time producing the proper spacing of the finished pleats with considerably greater ease and speed than has heretofore been possible. All measuring and all calculations are eliminated, and one need only refer first to the chart, thereafter using the appropriate device selected from the set of gauges. The device is then applied by first anchor ing the front return marking plate 10 to the work table, after which the device is stretched across the top of the drapery panel shown .in Figure 5 with the back re-: turn marking pleat anchored in the same manner.

The drapery material shown in Figure 5 would first be hemmed at its sides, before the device is stretched across the top thereof and anchored in the manner specified. The desired front return measurement is registered with the left hand or front side hem of the material, with a corresponding measurement of the back returnmarker being registered with the back hem. Thus, if the front return measurement is to be 4", the indicium 4 and the apertures 20, 38 aligned with said indicium,- are registered with the front hem 19 of the drapery panel.

One thereafter marks the front return at 51 and the back return at 52, upon the drapery material 50.

With the device stretched across the top of the panel 50, one now need merely mark the material through se-' lected apertures 40 of the ously noted, the device is assembled in such a-manner that there will be a plurality of space markers corresponding in number to the spaces between pinch pleats, with the springs 12 similarly corresponding to the number of pinch pleats.

The markings on the drapery panel made through selected apertures 40 have been designated at 54. These marking are arranged in pairs spaced across the top of the drapery panel. Thus, in Figure 5 there are three spaces between pinch pleats to produce in the finished curtain or drapery (Figure 6), four pinch pleats 56.

Each space between pinch pleats has been designated at 58 in Figures 5 and 6, and it will be seen that when the spaces are marked in this manner, they will alternate with spaces 60 defining the material used for the pinch pleats 56. The material in spaces 60 is exposed belowthe several springs 12.

From the above, it is seen that with the device, the drapery can be marked, and then pleated, with maximum ease, speed and accuracy. 7

I In this connection, it may be noted that the mathematical chart previously set forth herein is also of greatimportance to the cutter to provide an indication of the definite amount of inches to be used in a last width of a panel when a part of the width is used. Without the use of the chart, the cutter has no accurate figure showing the size of the spaces that the seamstress will use to achieve the finished width. A width is generally cut into a /3, A, /2 or width. When it is so cut it seldom appears that the pinch pleats will be approximately equal,

in fullness, with the balance of the Widths. When the chart is used, the cutter is enabled to know exactly what should be used in the length of space and fullness of a pinch pleat for achieving a finished width. She may therefore cut the odd last width accordingly and mark the work sheet so that the seamstress will use the same meas urement.

It is believed apparent that the invention is not necesseveral space markers. As previ-.

above, since it may be utilized for any purpose to which it may be suited. Nor is the invention to be necessarily limited to the specific construction illustrated and described, since such construction is only intended to be illustrative of the principles, it being considered that the invention comprehends any minor change in construction that may be permitted within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A device for marking drapery and curtain materials for pleating, comprising: resiliently expansible means for indicating the locations and widths of the pleat-forming portions of said material; and means alternating with and connected to the expansible. means having a series of indicia selectively usable for indicating upon said material the locations and widths of the portions of the material occurring between the first named portions,

2. A device for marking drapery and curtain materials for pleating, comprising: resiliently expansible means for indicating the locations and widths of the pleat-forming portions of said material; and means alternating with and connected to the expansible means having a series of indicia selectively usable for indicating upon said material the locations and widths of the portions of the material occurring between the first named portions, and further having a plurality of apertures arranged in pairs, with the apertures of each pair being associated with one of the several indicia and being spaced apart a distance specified by the associated indicium, for extension of a marking member through the apertures of a selected pair.

3. A device for marking drapery and curtain materials for pleating, comprising: a pair of end plates providing means for indicating the length of the front and back returns upon the material; and means connected together between the end plates and to the end plates for indicating on said material the locations and widths of the portions thereof to be pleated, and the locations and widths of the portions occurring between the pleats, comprising, respectively, a plurality of contractile springs and a plurality of plates alternating with the springs.

4. A device for marking drapery and curtain materials for pleating, comprising: a pair of end plates having spaced indicia ascending in value to permit marking of the material for width of the front and back returns of the drapery; a plurality of contractile springs for indicating the locations and widths of the pleat-forming portions of said material, said springs being arranged in a series longitudinally aligned with the end plates, the springs atthe ends of the series being connected tothe end plates; and a plurality of plates alternating with and connected to the, springs for indicating the locations and widths of the portions of the material occurring between the first named portions.

5. A device for marking drapery and curtain materials for pleating, comprising: a pair of end plates having spaced indicia ascending in value to permit marking of the material for width of the front and back returns of the drapery; a plurality of contractile springs for indicating the locations and widths of the pleat-forming portions of said material, said springs being arranged in a series longitudinally aligned with the end plates, the springs at the ends of the series being connected to the end plates; and a plurality of plates alternating with and connected to the springs for indicating the locations and Widths of the portions of the material occurring between the first'named portions, said last named plates being each formed with a row of indicia, the indicia of the last named plates being spaced longitudinally of the last named plates and being arranged in pairs with the distance between the indicia of each pair being different from the distance between the indicia of any other pair, for selection of one of the pairs to permit marking of the material for a selected width that each of the last named portionsof the material is to extend.

6. A device for marking drapery and curtain materials for pleating, comprising: a pair of end plates having spaced indicia ascending in value to permit marking of the material for width of the front and back returns of the drapery; a plurality of contractile springs for indicating the locations and widths of the pleat-forming portions of said material, said springs being arranged in a series longitudinally aligned with the end plates, the springs at the ends of the series being connected to the end plates; and a plurality of plates alternating with and connected to the springs for indicating the locations and widths of the portions of the material occurring between the first named portions, said springs including means at their opposite ends for detachably connecting the same to the plates, for assembly of a selected number of springs and last named plates with said pair of end plates.

7. A device for marking drapery and curtain materials for pleating, comprising: a pair of end plates having spaced indicia ascending in value to permit marking of the material for width of the front and back returns of the drapery; a plurality of contractile springs for indicating the locations and widths of the pleat-forming portions of said material, said springs being arranged in a series longitudinally aligned with the end plates, the springs at the ends of the series being connected to the end plates; and a plurality of plates alternating with and connected to the springs for indicating the locations and widths of the portions of the material occurring between the first named portions, said springs including means at their opposite ends for detachably connecting the same to the plates, for assembly of a selected number of springs and last named plates with said pair of end plates, said means comprising hooks on the opposite ends of the springs, the several plates having openings loosely receiving the hooks.

2,422,745 0st June 24, 1947 

